Saving Me
by Youkai kagami
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke. Haruno Sakura. They tried to save each other. And died for love. Oneshot, rated T for death.


_A/N: Well, 'tis my first attempt at a oneshot, so bear with me…I think I may just do a series of these, focusing on the best couples from my favorite shows…hmmmm…please, please, PLEASE tell me what you think!_

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**Saving Me**

He watched in horror as the faceless one sunk its fangs deeper into her neck.

The one he had come to think of as mentor, ally, helper, and the origin of his power was sucking the life from the one person who loved him enough to never give up.

Three times she had come for him.

Three times he had managed to send her away before the others discovered her presence.

Three times he had held her slender hand in his and told her that he was fine.

Three times she had refused to believe him, and had vowed to find a way to save him from himself.

And now, the fourth time his slender ex-team mate had managed to breach the compounds high security, she had been found out.

He saw her now as she struggled against her destroyer.

Saw her green eyes flare with unexpected light and life, looking at him.

No sound escaped the clamped lips, and her gaze was steady as their eyes met and held.

Her life was draining from her body in the most painful way possible, and she didn't even whimper.

He realized, for the first time, that she was stronger than she looked.

Stronger than she seemed.

Stronger than she had been, in those days so long ago when she had walked in his shadow and clung to his arm.

Strong.

A tear dropped down his impassive face, and he saw her mouth curve ever so slightly as she saw it fall.

She still loved him.

Even though he had turned her away every time, from when they first met to the three times she had tried to save him.

Even though he had intended to leave her without saying goodbye.

Even though he had left, ignoring her cries, ignoring her tears, longing only for power and hungering, no, _lusting_ after a life away from it all.

Away from her.

She who still loved him even though he was standing there, watching her be torn apart and destroyed.

As the life that was now precious to him was drained from her body.

As the one he had come to trust in some way – the deepest trust he had – killed the one who had always believed in him.

He wanted to scream, to tear the beast from her, to take her broken body in his arms and whisper in her ear everything he had never said.

To say the single word that he had never been able to say, to apologize for everything he had done.

To tell her he loved her, and cradle her slim body close to him.

To kiss away the tears on her soft cheeks.

To heal the wounds that he had created.

But he couldn't.

Rooted on the spot, trembling inwardly with a fear of the thing that he owed so much to, he couldn't move.

He wanted to.

Oh, not even the gods knew how badly he wanted to move, to speak, to whisper her name, to tell it to stop…

Even with his mighty eyes, his treasured possessions, he couldn't do a thing.

They were useless against this creature who used no jutsu.

Who fought with the power of fear and the strength of its body.

Who was, even now, making an even deeper cut into his already scarred heart.

His eyes, his precious eyes…

He could feel them losing their red glare, returning to the impassive, glittering black they had been.

So long ago, when every day was not accompanied by the spinning black dots.

When every day was not haunted by the loss of _her_.

A tear glistened in her clouding green eyes, but she was too much of a warrior to let it fall.

Not now.

Not when she had been strong for him ever since she met him.

Not when she knew how he hated weakness.

Her lips moved in a soundless word, again and again, they formed the syllables, all her concentration on that one word.

His name.

_Sasuke._

The name meant so many things now.

_Traitor._

_Power-hungry._

_Gone._

_Evil._

_My love…_

Her lips formed the new words, and she smiled, causing that one tear to drip from between her lashes, making a trail on her dirt stained face.

She knew.

She knew that he couldn't…no, wouldn't…save her, and she still loved him.

Still.

He let the flames appear on his arm, his leg, his face.

He summoned the power of his swirling red eyes, bringing them back to their hostile glare.

He clenched bandaged fists and swung.

The kunai ripped through the beast and was torn from his hand.

It turned to him, snake eyes narrowing, tongue flicking in and out.

It didn't even have to speak, the disdain in those cold eyes was enough.

_You are weak_, they said.

_All you had to do was stand and watch her die, and you couldn't. Now it shall be you, as well._

"Willingly," he said, a smile cracking his face for the first time in a long time.

"You may do as you like to me. Just let her leave. Do not lay another finger on her, and you can have all the enjoyment you desire out of killing me."

He knelt down and kissed her cheek, murmuring to her to go.

She shook her pink locks and grabbed hold of his arm.

Laying her head on his shoulder, she whispered her love and snuggled into the hollow of his neck.

"We die together," she murmured, her breath caressing his ear.

"Sakura," he whispered, and put his arms around her body, holding her like he had longed to do for so long.

"I love you," she replied, clutching his arms with a fierce strength that belied the lightness of her form.

"And I as well."

He turned his black glare to the thing above him, and spoke in a loud voice.

"Hear this, all of you! Sasuke Uchiha dies this day. But he does not die in vain, nor is his death meaningless. He dies for love, and let all remember that!"

"Are you quite finished," the beast hissed, and the dark-haired shinobi nodded, holding tighter to the girl.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and they shared one first, one final blissful kiss as they were consumed in flame.

His last words to her were heard by all.

"Thank you," he called to her, "for saving me from myself."

"I love you," she replied, before all words were cut off by their dying screams.

Several months later, any who went past the town of Konoha would find not only two new names on the memorial stone, but a small, granite block, inscribed simply with this:

**Uchiha Sasuke**

**Haruno Sakura**

**They tried to save each other**

**And died for love**

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_A/N: AND? Tell me tell me tell me! New genre – horrid angst, love it but can't write it – new style – oneshot, have mixed feelings o them…_

_I hope it was okay!_


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